Texas Pride

“I see the doubt in your eyes. I hate it because I can’t remove it no matter what I do. Only time will prove that I’m here to stay as long as you want me. You’re so hardheaded, Kitt!” Austin took a deep breath and stared at Kitt. “Honestly, as for the investment, I need them. I made twenty-three million dollars off my last dumb movie and that’s before it’s gone to DVD. I have money, too much money. I pay people to search out investments for me. What I’m gonna love is when you pay out more than any of those stockbroker or investment firms have ever made for me.”

“I’m not ready to take your money. It’s not a separate deal for me. It’s all personal,” Kitt said quietly.

“I get that, but since I’m defining all the areas of our lives together, you need to know, I love you. It’s completely personal for me, too. Let’s do this between us all the way.” It was the first time Austin declared his feelings. Certainly not the first time he’d felt it, but the first time either one of them said it out loud. Austin hadn’t risked much, he thought Kitt felt the same way. But, the silence, although normal, wasn’t helping his nervous heart. When the silence continued, Austin panicked a little.

“You are my boyfriend, right? I’d hate to lose my wife and not have a boyfriend...” Not the funniest thing Austin could have said, but he tried to lighten the mood between them. Kitt was perfect at being quiet. Now, his declaration was beginning to feel like a major faux pas on his end.

“Okay, well I see maybe I oughta have asked you to be my boyfriend. Be my boyfriend, Kitt. You’ll be my first boyfriend ever.” Austin shouldn’t quit his day job to become a comedian, but worse than that, his heart was breaking. A boyfriend didn’t require love. Why was that asking too much? Hell, they’d spent the better part of the last four months together. Why was it so out of line for Austin to ask Kitt to be his boyfriend? It wasn’t out of line at all. Kitt had to share these feelings. The guy hadn’t really slept since Austin moved here, surely that meant he wanted to spend time with him.

“I love you. But I still think you’re gonna go back to that other world someday. Leave here behind. I’ll be your investment partner. I’ll train the horses for a while. If we see potential, I know a trainer I want to hire. She’ll cost a lot, but she’s worth it if the talent’s truly there.”

Austin stayed focused on the ‘I love you’, not really hearing more than bits and pieces of the rest of what Kitt said.

Austin bent to whisper in Kitt’s ear. “Say it again.”

“I love you.” Kitt stared straight in Austin’s eyes. “Why does that surprise you? I’ve been in love with you since the beginnin’, you know that.”

“I didn’t,” Austin simply said.

“What? That’s crazy. You knew. How could you not know?” Kitt asked and Austin didn’t have an answer. He started to speak, then closed his mouth not sure what to say.

“Austin, I risk everything I have every single night to spend time with you. How does that not say I love you?” Kitt asked clearly confused.

“I guess I just needed to hear it. I don’t know. Stop looking at me like I’m dumb. I didn’t know!”

“Of course, I love you. I’ve honestly probably loved you since I was fifteen years old and watched you play ball. Hell, I was in the truck when my dad caught you and Wanda at the pond. That memory’s etched in my mind forever. I was like twelve or thirteen. I’ve loved you since then. You were so beautiful in every way to me. I loved to listen to you talk when we were in school. I’d wait for hours in the locker room just in case you walked through. You’re the reason I worked so hard to make Varsity my freshman year. Just so I could be near you. You’ve always had my heart. It’s never belonged to anyone else.” Kitt said it all with such truth and honesty in his eyes Austin was stunned speechless. Kitt laid his heart out and rolled from Austin’s arms. It took a second for Austin to even comprehend Kitt was leaving the bed. Why was Kitt leaving his arms? Austin reached for him not letting him get too far away.

“Come back here. Where are you going? You can’t say all that and leave my bed,” Austin said, but Kitt shrugged free.

“I should get home. I’m tired, but more so, you’re tired. Sleep wouldn’t kill us.”

“Nooo…don’t try to get out of it. You said you would sleep here tonight until five when your alarm went off. You promised that last night. Kitt, get back here and tell me you love me again. Tell me how you loved my voice.” Austin had a distinct whine to his voice as he wrapped his arms tighter around Kitt from behind. The bed covers were all messed up, tangling around Austin and Kitt sat on the side of the bed.

“My ass and back hurt. I need Advil.” Kitt laid back a little to kiss Austin’s upturned face.

“I have it in the kitchen, and you should be more careful of the knobs next time. How do you tell a man you’ve loved him for most of your life and talk about ass pain and Advil all in the same tone of voice?” Austin asked. He rolled off the bed to his feet.

“I’ll definitely be more careful next time because it’ll be you on your back hangin’ on for dear life,” Kitt said, following Austin out of the bedroom.

Chapter 22

Spring – three months later

Cara crawled back on top of Seth who was sprawled out naked across the king sized bed of the Dallas Omni Hotel’s penthouse suite. She grinned as she straddled his hips, but didn’t sit on his rigid length. Instead, she continued to stroke his hard-on as she rested back on her heels.